Thread: Tree courses

I heat my house with wood and do most of the cutting myself. I live on 40 acres so have access to plenty of trees. I have been doing this for about four years now. I am OK at it. I tend to avoid cutting anything that I find intimidating on my own. Still, I have had my share of saws stuck in the trees, trees lading on saws, trees getting caught up in others, and trees just not going quite where I intended them to. I have learned a lot in the past few years. I would like to learn to be more proficient at felling and there is only so much you can learn on your own. Are there courses you can take? Are the expensive? I live in north eastern CT. If nothing else I would just love to understand some of the terminology you guys use on this site. Thanks for any help.

Jones

Here are a couple of sites I found useful.

The best site:
Logging & Chainsaw Safety by Tim Ard

How to Fell a tree using a chiansaw

What kind of tree?
Firewood Identification

Learn some Knots:
Grog's Animated Climbing Knots Index


Hope these help.

Professional Timber Falling by Douglas Dent is a good book. Get that here...

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=17309

there are some videos on youtube called the progressive farmer that i have found to be the most safe, and effective ways to get the job done, not like the expert village junk that will probably get someone killed or bob vila being the moron he is.
here are the links to the vids. they are very very well done.
Ep. 1 Felling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFTOlmCijjs
Ep. 2 limbing and bucking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmrDr...eature=related
Ep. 3 PPE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_exj...eature=related
Ep. 4 Sharpening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD88r...eature=related

i really enjoyed watching these videos and thought that some others might enjoy them.

Thanks guys. This is all great info. The online stuff is always great because it is free. I think I will also be ordering the book.

Keep it coming.

Jones

What an image: book in one hand ( or laptop on a stump) the other hand on the saw !! " Now it says right here to do a downward 45 degree cut..................." .

Ideas:

Go out with a logger or arborist for a day or two. ( No stupid, not a "date" )

Look for a GOL - Game of Logging course in your state. Take the class.

Take a CPL ( Certified Professional Logger) program.

Go out and do it: carefully. Think out the cuts, where you want the tree to fall, where the danger zones can be. Make sure the chain is sharp, know kickback and the bar, always know where the saw is going in a cut. Learn about PPE and how to use the gear.
All of us learned by a combination of all of the above AND stupid errors that coulda killed us. There are no macho loggers or arborist pros.

The book will get the job done.

it takes a few minutes of looking at the illustrations to understand the way that things are drawn out. However!!!

The knowledge is incredible! There is a proper method for handling most any tree explained in that book. He even states that there are trees that are too dangerous to saw down. Use the skidder, or explosives!!! OMG!

I will look at the videos soon.

-Pat

Thanks for the info on the classes. The GOL classes look great. Now I just have to find one near me that I can get to. Do you have any idea what the cost is for the classes?

I would love to spend a day with a logger. I just don't know any. I wouldn't want to feel like a liability to someone on the job.

Thanks,
Jones

I just went to a GOL class, it was great. I'll post a review here a bit later. The cost was $65 per person.

Take the GOL course if you can. You won't regret it no matter what the cost.It was part of the curriculum when I went to forestry school 20 years ago. My dad taught me to fell at age 14 and had some experience under my belt working summers for his logging company but I learned a whole lot more through GOL. The course will probably keep you from getting injured or even save you from doing something that may take your life. The course is priceless.

I looked for a GOL class last year and the closest one was up in Ohio, several hours away.

About the books and online tips... some may poo poo that, and nothing beats actually going to a class or hanging out with a pro, but I've learned a lot by reading and looking at techniques explained in pictures and words. I have Dent's book and have read it cover to cover a couple times. I'm still an amateur but I do have some tools in my noggin now thanks to reading books and hanging out with the pros at AS.

Ian

Edit... just did a quick google and didn't find any GOL courses in Kentucky. I did find a "Kentucky Master Logger" course but in looking at their curriculum I see that in their 3 day course, 2 1/2 days are devoted to EPA regulations and best management practices with a little chainsaw safety and technique thrown in the last half day. Not what I'm looking for.

I was reading your signature.. I was getting ready to head to the ARRIVAL gate expecting that 372. LOL
To keep this on topic.
I attended a 3 day course of some sort back in 07. I did not pay the 300 so I did not receive any credits for it.. But it was put on for loggers to get something they needed for OSHA purposes I suppose. There were several fallers from all over Indiana present. But it was 3 days of classroom mixed with actual on hand falling. I learned a lot about reading a trees lean, a trees mass and so forth. How to wedge, proper notching, how to decide how much hinge to leave. You name it they discussed it.

Originally Posted by Zackman1801

there are some videos on youtube called the progressive farmer that i have found to be the most safe, and effective ways to get the job done, not like the expert village junk that will probably get someone killed or bob vila being the moron he is.
here are the links to the vids. they are very very well done.

i really enjoyed watching these videos and thought that some others might enjoy them.

Yeah, I agree. I've watched them too -good stuff. But if you want to laugh you gotta watch Bob. That ones a classic. Between expert village and him they have to be responsible for someones death by now -what hacks.